"The Federal-Provincial Government Conference Simulation, which is popularly known as Fed-Prov, is unique in Canada," said Professor John Jaworsky, who teaches political science at Waterloo. "The conference is an excellent opportunity for students to become interested and engaged in politics while in high school."
The Department of Political Science at Waterloo and the heads of history at each of the region's high schools organize the annual event, which has been held at the university for last 49 years.
In addition to first ministers meetings, ministerial delegations will participate in committees dealing with financial, justice, health, environmental, agricultural, economic, immigration and aboriginal affairs.
Isaac Wright from Southwood Secondary School in Cambridge, will fill the role of prime minister, with other students from the same school serving as federal ministers. Students from other schools will chair meetings of provincial and territorial ministers.
Two schools—Grand River Collegiate Institute and Preston High School—will produce newspapers during the conference to provide information and spark debate. One of the schools will receive the Waterloo Region Record's federal provincial conference press award.
Participants will vote for the winner of the John Boulden Award, named after one of the founders of the conference simulation, which is awarded to one of the student first ministers.
Working sessions take place in the Arts Lecture Hall, J. G. Hagey Hall of the Humanities and the Modern Languages building on December 2 and 3. The concluding plenary session will be in the Theatre of the Arts, Modern Languages Building, on Wednesday from 1:45 to 3 p.m.
